Turf grasses are extremely expensive to install and are very difficult to maintain. Among the problems that affect the maintenance of the turf grass and of putting greens on golf courses in particular is the amount of silt that may be in the water used for irrigation. Most often, golf course irrigation is a typical example of turf grass irrigation wherein water from lakes or ponds is pumped for the purpose of irrigating the turf grass, including the putting greens. Such water bodies are generally earthen bottomed and as such have a tendency to accumulate large amounts of silt. The intake of silt into the suction pipe of the irrigation pumps results in excess wear on the pumps, plugging of pump suctions, erosion of pipes and fittings, plugging of spray heads and in the degradation of the quality of the putting surface on the green. In fact, the disposition of inordinate amounts of silt on the greens may cause the total loss of the green.
Coupled with the foregoing problems, many of the turf grass areas utilize a sump that is generally constructed from concrete and located adjacent to the water bodies from which the irrigation water is pumped. A flume or water supply pipe extends from the water body into the sump. The lower end of the irrigation pump, that is the inlet of the pump, generally is disposed in such sumps. Accordingly, it is important that the accumulation of silt be eliminated if possible and at least controlled in such sumps.
With fixed supply pipe installations, it is necessary that the inlet to the supply pipe be located as near to the bottom of the water body as is reasonable. Accordingly, as silt accumulates, the inlet ends of the water supply pipes are frequently in or even under the silt layer. Water being drawn in through the supply pipe brings the silt into the sump resulting in its entry into the pump inlet and the accumulation of silt in the sump.
Frequently, and especially during rainy seasons, the water bodies utilized for the irrigation of turf grass areas may become subjected to flooding and high currents which cause further silting and, in addition, often cause high velocity currents in the water body as they overflow through spillways and the like. Accordingly, any apparatus located in the water body must be extremely durable and capable of withstanding the high velocity currents which are occasionally encountered.
Another problem encountered with turf grass irrigation is the presence of relatively high concentrations of salt in the irrigation water. Apparently, a lower concentration of salt in the water is near the water surface. Less salt problems occur when the irrigation water is taken from the two or three feet adjacent to the surface.
A number of U.S. Patents have been issued on screened suction heads or intakes for pumps that also provide for flotation of the suction head. U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,728 issued to L. L. Hink on May 20, 1952 illustrates such a suction screen. It is noted that the suction screen is intended for use with fire hoses and is primarily to avoid the ingestion of leaves and the like from the bottom of the tank into pumps on fire trucks.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,379 issued Dec. 18, 1979 to Robert D. Mitchell also describes a floating suction head or pickup nozzle that is intended for use with fire trucks. A third patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,374 issued Mar. 3, 1987 to Ziaylek, et al. is for a similar device wherein the nozzle can be easily released from a floating strainer when desired. The device described in this patent is also intended for use with fire trucks and the like.
Other floating suction nozzle patents include U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,425 issued to W. E. Haselwood on Dec. 22, 1953 for a floating liquid intake for use in the oil sumps of automotive engines. U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,552 issued Jan. 1, 1974 to Steven T. Wendell describes a floating suction nozzle that is intended to prevent nonfloating debris from entering the nozzle while draining a pool pond or the like.
While each of the foregoing does in fact disclose a floating nozzle or suction head, none addresses the difficulty in irrigation of turf grasses. In particular, none address the problem of elimination of silt from an earthen bottomed water body that is used in the irrigation of turf grass in areas such as parks and golf courses. Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus that can be utilized to irrigate turf grass areas with water from which the silt has been essentially excluded.
Finally, each of the foregoing shows the flexible hose connected between a floating object in the water and a fixed object above the water. Another object of this invention is to provide a system wherein a connection point is located below the level of the float and screen, with the entire assembly (excluding the top of the float) permanently installed in the water source.